Help! My Chest Won't Grow - Health & Fitness

Last Updated on January 7, 2021

A second solution they discuss identifies the perception of failure as a limiting factor. Over committing to a rep especially when you are exhausted does nothing to grow your chest. Haykowsky et al (2003) agrees noting that fatigue not only makes your form deteriorate during the bench press or the bench fly but your chest becomes less and less involved in the movement.

Another obstacle that may restrict chest growth especially in the clavicular chest bundles occurs when the pectoralis major tendon is located very high on the arm (Delavier and Gundill, 2010). Delavier and Gundill (2010) state that high pectoralis major tendon on the arm restricts the ability to stretch the clavicular bundles of the chest which inhibits activation of the upper chest and thus requires greater recruitment of the lower pecs or the shoulders. They argue that it is nearly impossible to recruit the clavicular bundles with a high pectoralis major tendon by doing compound exercises like bench press. The best exercise for high pectoralis tendon muscles is the opposing cable pulleys (Delavier and Gundill, 2010).

By understanding these limiting factors, I hope you have a better understanding as to why you may be struggling to grow your chest. Just lifting weights multiple times with your mates doesn’t assure you of a well defined chest. Mix up your routine and exercises and focus on activating the muscle bundles you want to train. Use good technique and only add extra load when you are comfortable and capable of lifting it and you are on your way to developing that chest you have always desired.

References

Barnett et al, (1995) Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 9 (4) 222-227.

Delavier, F & Gundill, M. (2010) The Strength Training Anatomy Workout 2: Human Kinetics: Paris

Haykowsky et al. (2003). Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise 35(1):65-68.

Rocha Junior et al. (2007) Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Esporte 13 (1) 43e-46e.

Welsch et al, (2005) Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 19 (2) 449-452.